


Return of Ice - Return of Fire

by Kazouha



Series: Return of Ice - Return of Fire [2]
Category: A Song of Ice and Fire & Related Fandoms, A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Consensual Underage Sex, F/M, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Jon Snow is a Targaryen, Jon Snow is not called Aegon, Lyanna Stark Lives, R plus L equals J, Rhaegar Lives, Sexual Content, Sibling Incest, War of the Five Kings, multiple POVs
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-15
Updated: 2018-10-18
Packaged: 2019-03-18 23:50:25
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 5
Words: 11,049
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13692417
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kazouha/pseuds/Kazouha
Summary: Lyanna and Rhaegar have barely survived Robert's Rebellion and fled to Essos, leaving their son in the care of Ned Stark. Nearly seventeen years later they return to Westeros in secret and their daughter Alyssa joins the Stark household to accompany them to King's Landing. It is only a question of time until war returns to the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros and the Long Night awaits them all.This is a multi POV fic with a lot of different POVs like Alyssa, Aegon, Ned and more. Work Title may change.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Hello guys. This is my first ASoIaF fic and I haven't read all the books. I get my information mostly from wikis, so if anything is wrong please feel free to notify me about it. I will keep to the books a little in the beginning (I'll use some characters who don't appear in TV), but all in all the story will have more elements of the TV series. It starts in 300 AC which means the characters have the same age as in TV.

** PROLOGUE **

“It seems we will never arrive in Lys if there is no wind at all!” Uncle Rowan complained. Byren looked at his uncle and sighed.

   Since they boarded the ship a few days before he did nothing but complain. Sure, it was terribly boring here, but it would get better once they arrived in the Free City of Lys. Byren could think of nothing else but the amount of Lysene pleasure houses and the lusty girls inside. Just imagining it made him feel aroused.

   “It was your idea to go there, Uncle!” He bit into a piece of salt meat. “Are you sure we’ll find the dragon siblings there? That Westerosi King pays well for their heads!”

   “Don’t talk about our business in Lys that openly.” Uncle Rowan hissed. “A lot of people are looking for the last remaining Targaryen children. And speaking for myself I want to get my hands on them before anyone else does. On them and a royal pardon from the king to return home.”

   Byren shrugged. He knew that his kin were from Westeros and that his uncle had been a lord somewhere, but that was before he was born, and his part of the family had lived in Essos for quite some time. The nephew had joined the uncle in the bloody business of assassination after his parents had passed away. He was quite skilled now. Rowan had taught him well.

   Everyone else probably held them for travelers dressed in plain clothes, but underneath the tunics both had a belt of throwing knifes and tiny flasks filled with poison. In their strongbox were another two sets of weapons, a small bow and arrows. Yet, they looked harmless to the other passengers.

   “For return we take a galley to King’s Landing! At least then we won’t have any problems with the wind!”

   It took them another three days to reach port and finally set foot into the port city. The two men found an inn on one of the less busier streets that seemed perfect for a temporary liar while they were searching the city. When the sun started to set, and the sky turned darker they found themselves in the inn’s common room. They drank dark ale and ate honeyed chicken for supper.

   “I’ll go looking for a girl now. You stay here?” Byren asked.

   “Aye! Just don’t spend all your money on those whores!” Rowan laughed and emptied his mug. “I’ll drink another one or two and wait for you in our room. Make sure to return before dawn to get some sleep before we start looking around tomorrow!” Both men grinned and Byren left in a hurry.

   After all that traveling a woman by his side was the one thing he needed most. He couldn’t even remember when he had pleasured himself with the company of women the last time. It must have been months or at least it felt like months.

   When he found a pleasure house to his liking, he entered and a courtesan invited him over.

   “How can I help you m’lord?” She chirped and smiled at him. She was young not older than twenty and breathtaking beautiful. His purse was not allowing him to take her.

   “A lovely girl. Preferably with dark hair or a typical Lysene.”

   The woman smiled again. “You should try a Lysene girl. I have some girls of Valyrian origin. Silver hair and purple eyes. True exotics even for Essos.” Now even Byren smiled.

   “Sounds interesting. I guess I’ll take one of them.”

   The courtesan brought over two girls younger than herself and both astonishing beautiful. He picked the older one, Vaela. She took his hand and let him upstairs into a secluded room with a large bed in the middle. They started kissing the moment he closed the door and Byren was sure this would be an interesting night. Vaela was quite straight forward and began undressing him. He put a hand under her chin and shook his head. She looked confused but stopped.

   “Do you speak the Common Tongue?” He asked. She nodded. “Good. Then let’s talk a little.” He gently pushed her towards the bed and slowly undressed her. It didn't long since she was only wearing a loose silk dress with nothing underneath. He touched her breasts and the bare skin of her back. “You look quite exotic.”

   “Yes, m’lord. We are proud of our Valyrian heritage. You will find a lot of us here in Lys and nowhere else in the world. Valyrian blood is rare so you should consider yourself lucky.” His hands wandered to her lower parts and when he caressed her inner tights she moaned softly. He knew she would tell him more interesting things when he continued to pleasure her.

   “When you say so. Maybe you are a lucky woman. I’m a well-paying customer and I won’t pay you with gold only.” She moaned louder. He could see her getting wet. “Tell me more about those with Valyrian blood.”

   “There is not much to tell, m’lord. Old Valyria is long gone and the great dragonlords with it. Even the last bloodline of the dragonlords is nearly extinct. Rumor has it that the young dragon princess Daenerys is the most beautiful woman in the world and her brother the exiled king is said to be looking quite handsome himself. I fear you will only find lowborn people like me here in Lys.”

   “Too bad!” He pushed her onto the bed and kissed her lips down between her legs. “I’m very interested in Valyrian history. It would have been nice to meet someone who has seen the Targaryen siblings in real. I mean they are living history.”

   Between her moans she answered. “Nobody knows what they actually look like. When you are lucky you’ll find a young couple at the market tomorrow. They stand out, so you can’t miss them. I don’t know their names, but I’m sure they can help you. People gossip they are siblings, but for me they look like lovers.”

   “See, and you told me there is not much to tell. I’m very thankful for your hints. Now let’s get to the point!” He grinned, and she understood immediately. Smiling she pulled away his tunic and undid the laces of his breeches. Good thing he had left his weapons at the inn. The girl would have died of shock. As he kneeled naked next to her she spread her legs and the view was most inviting. But when he was over her ready to enter her body, she grabbed his shoulders and switched positions. Vaela _was_ straight forward. She guided him inside her and moved her hips, first slowly then faster until both of them were covered in sweat and breathing heavily. She wasn’t only beautiful but a master at her profession.

   Amazingly satisfied he returned to the inn. Rowan was already in bed snorting when he entered the room. He locked the door and laid down on the empty bed, thinking about what Vaela had told him. He should look for a couple at the market. Not a very detailed information but at least a start. Should Daenerys and Viserys Targaryen be here in Lys the assassins would find them.

   The next morning Byren made plans with Rowan and told him about his newest lead.

   “Sounds like nonsense but try your luck. Maybe they have an interesting tale to tell.”

   Byren went out without breakfast. It was not that he was not hungry, but he feared to miss the couple if he was too late. The market place was quite huge, and it took him a while to find a spot from where he could see most of the market. He sat down under a large tree and watched as the market got crowded with time. It was about midday when a couple appeared that caught his eye. A boy and a girl both with silver-blond hair and fine clothes. Definitely not some lowborn peasants.

    “Any progression, nephew?” Byren looked up, saw Uncle Rowan and nodded.

   “See the couple over there? The ones with the silver hair and the fine clothes. Those are the ones Vaela has talked about.”

   “Vaela?”

   “A whore!”

   Rowan chuckled. “You and your information from whores!”

   “How old do you think are they? Could it be them?”

   “Hard to say. The girl would fit the age, but the boy I don’t know. They seem a little too relaxed for being hunted. And they seem to be lovers.”

   “Vaela said they are rumored to be siblings.” He watched them closer as they went by. The girl wore a lavender silk dress with a belt around her waist and the boy a grey brocade doublet with a cloak in the same color. The cloak was fastened with a clasp in form of a dragon. Byren smiled. “I think that’s proof enough. I’ll follow them to see where they sleep. Then we get them at nightfall.”

   Rowan nodded and put a hand on his nephew’s shoulder. “Be careful, boy! We must be sure about them. Do nothing risky alone. Come fetch me and we do it together!”

   Byren agreed and followed the couple through the city. Lys was interesting. The port city covered the whole island it was built on and therefore it was surrounded by water at all sides. At the north-east end of the city was a keep. The street leading to the keep had a lot of big town houses and his targets entered one of those big houses. He looked around and saw a beggar across the street in an alley. He gave him a coin.

   “Can you tell me, who lives in this house?” He asked him in the Common Tongue. The man frowned and Byren asked the same question in Bastard Valyrian. It was not his preferable language, but the man seemed to understand.

   “A merchant and his wife. They sell gems and jewelry, but I have never seen him or her. Just the boy and the girl who entered the house.” He stopped and looked at Byren, demanding. He rolled his eyes and gave the man another coin. “They moved in not long ago. People gossip about the wife. They tell she is a highborn lady from the Westerosi Houses, who ran away from home, but it’s only rumors!” The young assassin nodded and carefully surrounded the house. When he was sure that he had found the best way to enter he retreated and decided to visit Vaela again.

   After spending some time with the whore, he met Rowan in the inn. They ate supper in the common room and when it was dark outside they equipped their weapons and went for the hunt. As they arrived at the targets’ house Byren felt the adrenaline kick in. The expectation of taking a life soon made his blood boiling under his skin. The house was completely dark, and it seemed even the servants had already gone to bed. They circled the house and found the tree that was high enough to get onto the balcony and easy to climb even for his uncle.

   “I looked through the windows on the first floor. There were guards patrolling. Maybe we should wait and kill them in the morrow when they leave the house.” Byren smiled. His uncle was always careful when it came to guards, but Byren liked it to sneak and hide from their eyes. It was the most interesting part in their business.

   “You can wait here if you are too scared. It’s only some guards, Uncle! Nothing we should bother with. Come on there is only one guard on this floor.” They entered the house silently through and open window. Byren unsheathed his dagger and sneaked closer to the guard. He would be collateral damage. With a swift move he covered the man’s mouth with his left hand and cut his throat with the right. His uncle followed behind and they opened the door to the first room. It was empty. In the second they were luckier. It was the girl’s room and she slept soundly in her bed. The canopy was closed on one side. He signaled his uncle to return to the empty room in case she would notice him. Rowan ignored him and hid behind the curtains. His dagger still dripping with the guard’s blood, he was about to cover her mouth when her eyes snapped open and she kicked him in the stomach. She grabbed his arms and forced him backwards pushing the dagger away from her throat. She looked like an angel with her silver hair, fair skin and large purple eyes. Far more beautiful than Vaela.

   Rowan did not move behind the curtains. Byren grinned. He would not let himself get defeated by a little girl no matter how strong she was. He managed to overpower her, and his dagger landed a hit on her forearm. The wound was deep, and she screamed in pain. _Damn bitch!_ Now probably everyone in the house was awake and aware of the intruders. It took only seconds before a woman arrived in the doorframe. Byren turned his head to take a short look at her. She was small framed with fair skin and long dark brown hair. Her hand was on her swollen belly. _The gods won’t be happy about killing a pregnant woman._ When the newcomer saw the cut on the girls arm her eyes filled with anger. She ran towards him, picked up a silk scarf from a nearby cupboard and started to strangle him. It all went so fast he didn’t know what to do. His eyes returned to the girl sitting on the floor and pressing a piece of cloth on the wound. He should have poisoned his weapon before coming here. Grave mistake. Rowan still didn’t come to his help. The woman pulled stronger and Byren gasped for air. He couldn’t breathe and dropped the dagger. He felt his body get limp and the world around him turned black. In his final thought he laughed ironically. _Killed by a woman with a silk scarf._

* * *

   Rowan watched the scene in horror not able to move even a finger. He saw his beloved nephew, the last of his kin except himself, gasping for air but the woman didn’t stop. He remembered what Byren had told him at supper. The house belonged to a jewelry merchant and his wife. So, this was the wife. A furious woman from Westeros, a Northerner by her looks and in the last stages of pregnancy. She was good looking probably in her mid-thirties. What was she doing here? His heart ached when Byren’s body dropped to the ground his eyes still open.

   More people poured into the room and Rowan knew he wouldn’t get out of here alive. The first guard, a man with a large greatsword in both his hands dropped the elegant weapon and ran over to the pregnant woman. The sword had a milky white blade, a weapon well known in his native country. Dawn, the ancestral sword of House Dayne. It had disappeared in Robert’s Rebellion around the same time he had fled to Essos. Rowan’s blood froze when the woman opened her mouth to talk to the guard.

   “I’m okay, Ser Arthur! He is dead, but Alyssa is hurt!”

    He was in the same room as the legendary Ser Arthur Dayne, the Sword of the Morning and Kingsguard to the late king Aerys II Targaryen. Ser Arthur had been the personal guard of the Prince of Dragonstone, Rhaegar Targaryen. A Northern woman, children with Valyrian traits and a former Kingsguard to protect them? Rowan swallowed hard. He probably just had uncovered the greatest secret of the Seven Kingdoms in recent history and his suspicions would soon be proven right.

   The boy Rowan and Byren had seen in the market spotted him behind the curtains. He took a sword from one of the guards and cut the curtain above Rowan’s head.

   “Here is a second one. Seriously Alyssa, what have you done to receive not only one assassin but two and in your bedchambers?” The boy laughed and pressed the tip of the sword under Rowan’s chin.

   “Just shut your mouth, Aegon! I did nothing, and you know that!” So, their names were Aegon and Alyssa. The heir and his future sister-wife.

   Rowan, knowing when a fight was lost, dropped all his weapons and two of the guards escorted him out of the room and down the stairs in large room with a long table in the middle. They forced him to sit down on one of the chairs. Somewhere a heavy door was closed, and people began talking. The first to enter was the boy, Aegon. He positioned a second chair directly in front of Rowan and sat down himself.

   “You must surely be a coldblooded killer, that you did nothing when the lady killed your son or were you too shocked?”

   “He was my nephew.”

   “He picked a fight with the wrong person. The lady knows no mercy when it comes to her child. Who gave you the order to kill my half-sister?”

   Rowan swallowed. “Nobody. My nephew confused her with someone else. We didn’t know who she was.”

   “You _didn’t_ know? And now you know?”

   “Yes, I’m quite aware of who you are, mylord!” Rowan hissed.

   “How does a highborn from the Seven Kingdoms end up as an assassin in Essos?”

   “Being on the losing side in a war. I guess pretty much the same reason why you are here.”

   “And you wanted to kill Alyssa to get pardoned by Robert Baratheon? There is no prize on her head, but she would easily pass as Daenerys Targaryen. Robert pays well for _her_ head.”

   Rowan knew, that there was no way out for him, so why lie? “Yes, he does or for the information that his betrothed is still alive. Giving her to him and I’m sure he would even give me a castle in exchange for his lost love, Lyanna Stark.”

   “I’m sure he has long forgotten about me as I have about him.”

   “We’ll see how he reacts when he is informed about this. Or you’ll see because I’ll be gone soon. We found you, others will follow. The king won’t stop until everyone who poses a threat to his reign is dead. Starting with the dragon spawn how he calls you. You are his archenemies. Varys will know soon.”

   Panic aroused in their eyes when he mentioned the spider. It was a lie on his side because he himself never contacted the Master of Whisperers, but the lie was hopefully strong enough to end this conversation and his life. He was tired of talking, tired of life.

   “Do not listen to him.” Another voice came from outside the room. A terribly melodic voice he had heard before, but the speaker never showed himself. Rowan used the small distraction to free his hands and remove the small vial from his rough leather bracelet, He opened it and before anyone could stop him poured the colorless fluid into his mouth. The poison’s effect took in and he began coughing. His vision blurred, and he felt the convulsions all over his body. A quick and clean death.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you liked the prologue. It is a little vague, but I liked the idea of having an introduction to the story from the perspective of a non-relevant minor character (who dies at the end of the prologue :D). English is not my native language, so feel free to correct my mistakes. I like critiques, but please no flaming. When you don't like my fic, just don't read it.
> 
> The chapters will hopefully all be around 2,500 to 3,000 words long and I fear that I won't update this story regularly. There will also be a prequel story which takes place around the Tourney of Harrenhal and Robert's Rebellion.


	2. Catelyn I

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jon Arryn is dead. A few weeks after the faithful letter has arrived, a stranger comes to Winterfell with a message for Lord Stark. The encounter leads to Catelyn wanting to know the truth about what happened during Robert's Rebellion.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for all the comments, kudos and bookmarks. I'm so happy that this fic is so popular (not used to get that much feedback). You are the best! Now here is the first chapter. I'll start with Catelyn POV! Have fun and don't forget to comment, I'd like to hear your opinions! If there are mistakes please tell me so I can change it.
> 
> Updated: September 3, 2018

** CATELYN **

When the first rays of sunlight came through the windows, it made Catelyn Stark smile. The sun was rarely visible here in the north and she loved it dearly. At Riverrun, the seat of her family, sunshine was one of the most natural things. At Winterfell it was the cloudy sky and harsh weather, but over the years she came to like it here. It was her home now for almost sixteen years, hers and that of her children. She pushed the heavy furs away and stood up. Her chambers were always warm even without lighting a fire and she could sit there in only her nightgown. She wouldn’t even freeze with nothing on but her own skin. Tonight, she had slept alone in her bed. Her husband was still mourning Jon Arryn, who had been like a father to him. It had shocked them all, when the raven had arrived with the message that the Hand of the King had passed away from a sudden fever.

   She dressed in a light blue wool dress with a fur collar and did her hair. Here in the north she solely ever needed a handmaiden to help her getting dressed or prepared for the day.

   On her way to the Great Hall to break her fast she crossed the courtyard where the boys were already training their swordplay. She smiled first, but then quickly looked away when she spotted her husband’s bastard son Jon Snow among the group. Every time she laid eyes upon him her heart ached. Jon Snow had the dark hair and grey eyes of the Starks while her own offspring had the Tully traits, auburn hair and blue eyes. He reminded her every day that her husband had been unfaithful, that he had dishonored her. The noble Lord Eddard Stark to whom honor was the most important thing in life.

   She shook her head and continued her way to the Great Hall. Her girls were still eating, and she was happy to see that both behaved. It was quite uncommon for Sansa and Arya not to argue with each other. Especially Arya was a real troublemaker.

   “You look happy, my lady. Is it the sun?” Her husband Ned was sitting at the table already finished with his meal.

   “Yes. It is very lovely outside, but I fear we have to start preparing today.” She sat down on the chair next to him. “The king and his court will be here in little more than a fortnight. There are a lot of things to organize before we are ready to receive his grace.”

   He nodded and offered her some bread and a honeycomb.

   “I still find it unbelievable that Robert honors us with his visit or burdens us if you ask me.” He laughed.

   Catelyn had just eaten the last of her blackberries when one of the guardsmen, Desmond, entered the hall. He bowed.

   “M’lord, there is a rider at the northern gate. He says that he has a message for you and just for you personally. Shall we let him in? I think he’s a knight but wears no sigil or banner.”

   “Aye,” Ned answered. “Bring him here. I’m curious who sends a knight as a messenger.” Catelyn was curious too. She hoped it wasn’t a message from the king’s party and luckily it wasn’t. She didn’t know the man who entered the hall nor was she able to identify the sigil on the wax seal of the letter. Ned seemed to recognize it and gave the knight a concerned look before inviting him to sit at the table. He ordered the rest of his household to leave the Great Hall and when he looked at her she could swear he was thinking of sending her away too. But he didn’t.

   “I must apologize for disturbing the breakfast, my lord, but I fear we do not have much time. My men spotted a scouting party carrying stag banners and I prefer not to be around here when Robert arrives. I am sure you know why!”

   Catelyn inspected the knight more closely. As Desmond pointed out he wore no sigil but his way of talking gave him away as a highborn. He had fair hair and skin, his armor was polished and shining, silver plates with golden ornaments and golden chain mail. Too fine for an ordinary knight.

   “Aye, it would cause me an awful lot of trouble,” Ned answered and looked at Catelyn. “I would rather not involve you in this, but I guess I have no other choice. Please meet Ser Arthur Dayne, the Sword of the Morning and former Kingsguard to Aerys II Targaryen, the Mad King.”

   “It is a pleasure to meet you in person, Ser Arthur. I might be wrong, but we heard you died in the war while fighting my husband and his men in Dorne.” Catelyn was confused and disappointed that Ned had lied to her. She remembered the servants talking about how her husband’s party had slain three men of the Kingsguard including Ser Arthur Dayne to get Ned’s sister Lyanna back. They also gossiped about the beautiful Lady Ashara Dayne, Ser Arthur’s sister who was supposed to be the mother of Jon Snow. Could it be true?

   “Many good men lost their lives in the war. I have learned a lot from Lord Commander Gerold Hightower and Ser Oswell Whent was one of my closest friends. It pained me when they died, but we swore an oath and our orders were clear. Nobody was allowed to get near Lyanna Stark. Your lord husband defeated us, and he was merciful enough to spare my life.”

   Ned broke the seal and unrolled the paper.

   “You talk about oaths and, yet you do not serve the king,” Catelyn said.

   “I do not serve Robert Baratheon for he is not my king. I remain loyal to House Targaryen and that is why you do not want me being here when Robert arrives.”

   She looked at Ned who was still reading the letter.

   “Ser Arthur are you sure that Robert does not know about what is written in this letter?” Ned asked. Catelyn sighed. Her husband looked concerned. She put her hand in his.

   “No, I am not sure. Both men died before we could question them in detail. The older man mentioned Varys and that they were after the prize Robert offered for the heads of Viserys and Daenerys.”

   Ned exhaled. “I hoped he would give up on them.”

   “They pose a threat to his claim. He will hunt them down until they are both dead. When one of them has sent word to Varys our cause is lost, and we will all die!”

   Catelyn stood up. “Ned, what is he talking about? What have you done?” She could hardly keep her anger at bay. “You and Robert have overthrown the Targaryen dynasty. Why are you suddenly concerned?”

   Ser Arthur took a few steps back and lowered his head.

   “It is about the boy.” Ned started.

   “The boy?”

   “Jon. I lied to you about him!” Now Catelyn was more than angry.

   “What part was the lie? It seems Ser Arthur knows. Was there something between you and his sister?”

   Ser Arthur coughed. “Ashara was never interested in timid boys. It was the wild wolf she invited into her bed. No, I fear my late sister has nothing to do with that lie.”

   She thought about what he had said. “Wait, you mean Brandon broke his vows?”

   “My brother had that reputation. He had a lot of lovers much like Robert. Nothing comes from talking about the past and the dead. I lied to you when I said that the boy was mine.” Ned explained calmly. It took Catelyn a moment to get what he had said.

   “Then whose son is he? Another one of Brandon’s?”

   “Lyanna’s!” He paused. “And the second trueborn son of Rhaegar Targaryen. That is why I am concerned and why I kept it a secret from you. You and the children are not involved; thus, Robert would not harm you.”

   “How many people know about him?”

   “Not many. Ser Arthur, Howland Reed, his parents and I.”

   “His siblings as well and probably the Martells!” Ser Arthur added.

   “Ned, how could you? You lied to Robert about the baby and your sister too? You kept her from him?”

   “She started a war not to be with him! She said that she would rather kill herself than spend even one minute with Robert.”

   “What is written in that letter?”

   “Lyanna is scared of Robert. She writes that there have been assassins in their house and that her daughter Alyssa almost got murdered in her bed. One of the assassins recognized her and they had to leave Essos. She is here and there is something really important she has to tell me. Something she cannot write in a letter.”

   “Then go see her. I will stay here and organize the preparations.”

   “I was ordered to invite Lord _and_ Lady Stark to come with me,” Ser Arthur said.

   “I want to hear the whole story on our way. No more lies and no secrets.” Her heart ached, and she felt betrayed. It was reasonable to not tell her back then, but after all those years she thought he would trust her. Robert would kill all of them anyways.

   Ned went to the stables to ready their horses while Catelyn waited in the yard with Ser Arthur. The boys were still sparring. Like always Robb trained with Jon.

   Ser Arthur observed them. “You must be proud of your son, my lady. He seems to be a good fighter for his age.”

   “I do not watch them very often. It pained me too much to see my children getting along with Jon Snow.”

   “I believe it was hard for you to have him here. He looks like a wolf among fish. No offense!”

   “None taken. You are right. May I ask what his siblings look like?”

   “His half-sister looks like her Dornish mother. Aegon and Alyssa both have pale silver blond hair and purple eyes. With the babes it’s hard to say.”

   “That sounds exotic. I never had the chance to see a Targaryen before the war started.”

   “Trust me, my lady. There is nothing you have missed. I spent most of my life in their company. All of them were or still are mad in their own way. The only one who was close to normal was Queen Rhaella. They all have some obsession that is close to insanity.”

   Before Catelyn could ask more about it Ned arrived with the horses.

   “I told Maester Luwin that we return by nightfall. If someone asks, we had to go because something happened that needed my personal attendance.”

   When they were on the road north Ned started explaining, but obvious to Catelyn he didn’t know where to start.

   “You should start with Harrenhal. It was the beginning and the end of many things.” Ser Arthur suggested. “At least it’s the beginning of their story.”

   “The great Tourney of Harrenhal. It brings back a lot of memories. Lyanna had nearly ruined our house twice in only one week. I know why my father was so reluctant to let her go with us. She caused more trouble than two Aryas.” Catelyn couldn’t remember seeing her husband in such a good mood.

   “When I think back to it your sister nearly got herself killed once. With her daughter we have stopped counting. She plays in a whole different league and it gets worse every year.” Ser Arthur mentioned.

   “Is she there too?” Catelyn asked.

   “Yes, she is. But she will behave in your presence. No need for concern.”

   “At Harrenhal Lyanna met Robert Baratheon for the first time.” Ned continued. “She was horrified by the thought of marrying him. We should have listened to her. Robert of course was in love with her beauty from the first moment he has seen her. When he wasn’t drinking he was only talking about her. Lyanna made herself known right on the first day at the feast. Didn’t know what happened but my brother Benjen had teased her and she was so angry that she stood up and poured a whole cup of wine over his head. Everyone in the room has seen it.

    “On the second day of the joust she participated as a mystery knight who was later called the Knight of the Laughing Tree. She did it to defend Howland Reeds honor. It ended with the Mad King demanding the knight’s head. When we thought it could not get worse she was crowned the queen of love and beauty by Rhaegar Targaryen.”

   “I heard about that. Robert must have been really angry.” Catelyn knew what it meant to give someone the crown of love and beauty.

   “Brandon Stark was angrier. We thought he would explode any second. It is quite ironic he got so upset about his sister’s honor while he had sired a bastard with _my_ sister the night before.” Ser Arthur paused. “He was lucky the king did not hear what he said. He would have lost his head the same day.”

   “Maybe it would have been better if he had heard it. The day after the tourney Lyanna returned to Winterfell with our brothers while I returned to the Eyrie with Robert. That day has been the last we have all been together. A few months later Lyanna and some guards were sent to Riverrun for the wedding. Brandon was angry at father for allowing her to go alone, but Benjen later told me that father knew Lyanna would never make it to Riverrun. He wanted to keep Brandon away from her. When her entourage reached Lord Harroway’s Town, she ran away from the guards.”

   “I picked her up in Harroway’s Town, so she could escape her guards. They were very dutiful, and it took some time to trick them but in the end, we took my horse and crossed the Trident with the ferry.”

   “I bet it was all her idea.” Ned said shaking his head.

   “She was quite resourceful.”

   “That sounds just like her. It makes me happy to be able to meet her again after all that time.” Catelyn watched her husband. He seemed happier every second while she was fuming. It was hard to not show him how angry she was at him for lying to her no matter the reason. Earlier she had told herself to calm down, but it wouldn’t let go.

   “So, she was not kidnapped?” Catelyn asked into the silence. Both Ned and Ser Arthur shook their heads.

   “I suspected it near the end of the war, after leaving King’s Landing for Dorne,” Ned continued. “In the Red Keep shortly after finding Ser Jaime Lannister in the throne room I searched for hints to find Lyanna. When I met Ser Gregor Clegane covered in blood I started to run. The only person still alive I found in the nursery. It was Princess Elia Martell. I have seen a lot of horrible things in the war but what Ser Gregor did to her was by far worst. She laid in a pool of blood barely conscious. When I came to her side she begged me to find my sister. In her last moments she told me where Lyanna was.”

   “Princess Elia has always been kind. She did not deserve to die like this.”

   “Why did she beg you? There must have been bad blood between Elia and Lyanna,” Catelyn said.

   “Lyanna took Aegon with her to Dorne. Elia seemed to believe I would not hurt the babe. Robert would have killed him without a second thought. It shocked me when I saw Lyanna with the infant. Seeing Jon for the first time was worse though.”

   “Why did you bring him with you? He could have stayed with her.” Catelyn still didn’t want to say the boy’s name.

   “No, my lady,” Ser Arthur answered. “The war was lost, and Robert wanted all of the remaining dragons killed. We fled to Essos and it was impossible to take two infants and a newborn babe with us. They wouldn’t have survived a day. Aegon and Rhaenys were given to the Martells and then your husband declared he would take the boy with him home to Winterfell. He named him his bastard, and nobody has ever questioned it, not even you.”

   The conversation was interrupted by a dead bird falling from the sky hit by an arrow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That's it! In my opinion Catelyn is not angry enough about the whole 'bastard story', but I think it's not like her to show her anger around other people. But she is really mad about it. 
> 
> Next chapter is Aegon POV. It's not finished yet (~1000 words), but I hope to finish it until next thursday.


	3. Aegon I

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After the encounter with the two assassins Lyanna and Rhaegar have temporary returned to Westeros with a small entourage. Ser Arthur is on his way to deliver an invitation to Winterfell while the Targaryens are waiting for their guests.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks again for kudos, bookmarks and comments. It really motivates me to write faster and sorry for the delay. As I said before I can't promise to update this regularly.

** AEGON **

Ser Arthur was only gone for a short while when Alyssa started to toss and turn on her cot. It would not take long for her to complain about not being able to sleep in a real bed. Aegon watched her slowly waking up. It was already close to midday and it was pretty unusual for Alyssa as an early riser to still be asleep. He went over to her and sat down on her cot. She mumbled something he didn’t understand. It sounded a little like a complaint. He smiled.

   “Rise and shine, sweetheart! It’s actually sunny outside the tent and you overslept!” She blinked a few times before yawning.

   “The babies kept Rila and me awake long into the night. I wish they had waited until our return home!” He had thought the same first. It was rather unfortunate for their visit with the Starks that Lyanna had birthed the twins on their journey without a maester present. There was so much that could have gone wrong. Lyanna was not known for giving birth without any complications. At least the midwife Rila was there and nothing bad had happened yet.

   “Your uncle will be here shortly. You should get dressed and presentable.”

   “Presentable? I always look presentable and under the thick cloak nobody sees what I am wearing anyways!”

   Aegon ruffled her silver hair. “I meant your hair not your clothes!”

   When Alyssa pushed the furs away Aegon had to look somewhere else. She was only wearing a thin nightgown that didn’t leave much to the imagination. He blushed. She was only three and ten, but she already had a woman’s body.

   “Are you blushing?” She asked amused. “You are my brother, you shouldn’t be embarrassed to see me only in my nightgown.” She stood up and from the corner of his eye he saw her untying the laces before letting the piece of cloth fall to the ground. “Now you might blush! Look at me or am I such an eyesore?” He stared in the opposite direction.

   “Your mother …” He tried, but how could he explain? Lyanna had been quite clear about that topic. He was to turn down his sister’s advances. Giving in to Alyssa’s demand would only encourage her further. “You are irritating! Just stop it already!” She made a disapproving noise but the rustle of fabric that followed indicated that she got into her dress. He looked at her and sighed in relief. She was dressed, wearing a grey and red wool dress with long sleeves and a high collar.

   “Happy now?” She snapped and turned her back to him. No matter how Aegon looked at it, waking his sister and being in her tent had been a bad idea. They weren’t children anymore and the thought alone of giving in really was tempting. Alyssa was beautiful, tall for her age with long legs and a nice body shape. Her hair reached her waist and was braided into a single plait most of the time. A few loose strands framed her pale face. Right now, the unruly curls covered her back. She was about to brush it.

   “Don’t act like a brat over this, Alyssa. There will come a time for sure when I’ll give in to your advances, but it isn’t now. You are young, too young to call yourself a woman. Just don’t rush things!” _Your mother did! Look where it got us!_ he finished in his mind. Lyanna Stark’s single-minded decisions had led to the death of thousands. Of course, he would never say that aloud. She was aware of what had happened because of her, she didn’t need a reminder. It would have only been cruel. He pushed himself up from the cot and grabbed his cloak. He put it on and immediately missed the silver dragon clasp. It was way too distinctive and too dangerous to wear right now, especially since the incident with the assassin back in Lys. “I’ll wait for you outside.”

   He slipped out of the tent and took a deep breath. The cold air up here in the north was refreshing on the one hand, the burning sensation in his nostrils on the other hand wasn’t that pleasant. It was still summer in Westeros and it was already cold. Aegon wondered how it would be to live here in winter. He would probably freeze to death on the spot. Right now, it didn’t even snow and he was shivering.

   “You’ve lived in warm regions all your life. It’s normal to be cold!”

   Aegon turned his head in surprise. Lyanna stood only a few feet away a bundle of blankets and furs in her arms.

   “Mylady,” he greeted her formally. Lately there was an uncomfortable distance between them. When he was younger Lyanna had treated him like her own child, played with him or took care of him when he was sick. Nowadays she ignored him most of the time. “You are feeling better?”

   “We Northerners are tough, and I couldn’t miss this sunny day. It’s really beautiful!” She smiled and waved him nearer. He went over to her and she put the bundle into his arms without asking. The babe was light as a feather and really small. “You were only slightly bigger than her when I saw you for the first time.”

   Aegon swallowed. She had never talked about anything that had happened before their escape to Essos, not even once. He looked down at the babe in his arms. It was the girl with fuller hair and longer eyelashes than her twin brother. She looked at him as well with her large purple-grey eyes, a pretty color, less intense and less exotic than his own.

   “Have you decided on names yet?” The twins were over a week old and still unnamed.

   “I thought we had decided on names before we left Lys but apparently your father isn’t so sure about it anymore.” She sighed and went over to the fire that burned in front of her own tent. Her steps were unsteady and she looked awfully weak, not like the woman who had killed a man with nothing but a scarf. She sat down on a log.

   Lyanna Stark was a strange woman. Over the years she adapted to the lifestyle of a southron lady, wearing dresses and jewelry instead of her riding attire and stopped behaving like a boyish girl from the north. Yet, she was stubborn and often overbearing. Most men she talked to were irritated and sometimes offended by her behavior, unused to meet a strong and self-determined woman. Aegon didn’t mind. He’d spent most of his early childhood in the care of his uncle Oberyn who had a lot of strong daughters. Dornish women were dangerous and scary. Thinking about Dorne brought back memories of his older sister. He hadn’t seen her in years.

   “You look sad. What is bothering you?” Another of Lyanna’s strange traits. She cared for him. Most other women wouldn’t have tolerated a bastard in their household. Sure, the circumstances were a little different with them. He wasn’t born out of wedlock, not a strain on his father’s honor, but a threat to Lyanna’s trueborn children nonetheless. He discarded his thoughts and went over to sit down next to her. The distance between them closing a little. He handed her the babe.

   “I was thinking of Rhaenys. The last time I’ve seen her was six years ago, when she married Quentyn Martell!” A marriage he didn’t support. Rhaenys had only been four and ten back then and Quentyn a year younger. They had been children too young to consummate the marriage.

   “There arrived a letter from Dorne on the day those men broke into the house. Was it from Rhaenys?”

   “Yes, she has a son now, Maron Nymerios Martell. Quentyn has a bad taste in names.” Lyanna agreed chuckling. “How can someone be so fond of names starting with ‘m’? It sounds ridiculous. Meria and Maron, really?”

   “Meria is a pretty name. It is just unfortunate in combination with the surname Martell. It sounds funny not ridiculous. Don’t mock your niece and nephew! Who knows what name she will get!” She rocked the girl gently. “The boy will be named after Maester Aemon by the way. We just can’t settle on a name for her.”

   “You should give her a northern name. Then she will always be special in her own way.” _And Jon isn’t the only one without a traditional Valyrian name!_ Jon … talking about him was a taboo when Lyanna was around. She missed him terribly and even saying his name sent her in a state of pure agony. Aegon knew it wasn’t only because she had to leave him. No matter how understanding his brother was, he had to live the life of a bastard and that was hard. He would not forgive his parents for choosing that life for him just to keep him safe and physically unharmed.

   “Your father will decide. He chose the names for his five other children and he will name her as well.”

   After that they stared into the campfire’s flames in silence until Alyssa had finished taming her curly hair and joined them in their staring. She didn’t sit down, just nudged his shoulder and lifted her skirts a little to show him she was wearing her riding breeches underneath. A silent invitation to take a ride. Taking after her mother in nearly every aspect she of course loved horses and riding, her preferred hobby right after teasing him.

   “Please don’t go off too far. This is a dangerous place with dangerous people. It’s not only the bandits! And take at least one guard with you!” Lyanna told them, knowing exactly what they were up to. “I suggest riding south. There is not that much forest and it’s safer than farther north.”

   _And we most likely will meet up with Ser Arthur who would insist on returning to the camp!_ , Aegon added in his mind and stood up. Lyanna knew these lands better than anyone else and she was right that it was too dangerous to go on a long ride. So, he had to distract Alyssa with something else and he already had a perfect idea. While she went off to ready their horses he went over to his tent and grabbed his bow. It had been too long since they had practiced with any kind of weapon.

   Sometime later they mounted their horses and left the camp towards the road south. Their guard trailed in some distance behind them. Alyssa’s pace was fast, she managed to navigate her mare effortlessly through the thick forest and was quickly far ahead of them. Hopefully she would wait at the road. She getting lost was the last thing he wanted right now. It would take hours to find her again.

   “You don’t have to look so concerned, boy. We scouted the area around the camp thoroughly. The princess is safe even without us!”

   Aegon frowned and raised an eyebrow. “She is never safe! Somehow the problems and dangers always find her no matter how guarded she is. Let’s better catch up with her _before_ something happens!”

   As expected Alyssa had stopped her horse on the road and waited for them. Now that they were on a public road she had pulled her cloak’s hood over her head to hide her hair. Aegon did the same. It was just a precaution. There had been no Targaryen in the north for decades and it was unlikely anyone would recognize them and in contrast to Essos there were no slavers here to sell her to some pillow-house or brothel.

   They followed the road south until the forest became more open and the sunrays shone through the tree crowns to bath the grassy ground in golden light.

   “We should leave the road. I don’t think that it’s wise to ride into the open field without more protection. Let’s stay in the forest!” The guard advised them and Alyssa navigated her horse away from the road deeper into the woods. Only a few minutes later they stopped and Alyssa dismounted. They had found a clearing with a small pool in the middle. Aegon was surprised by the beautiful sight. From what he had seen while traveling most of the north was rough land hardened by the cold winters and snowy summers. There wasn’t much vegetation despite short grass, ironwoods and large sentinels.

   The clearing was wide enough to provide a decent shooting range. Aegon dismounted as well and led his horse to the pool to drink before he tied the reins to a low hanging tree branch. Their guard would watch the horses but there was always the risk they would bolt because of some unknown noise.

   “Come on, entertain me, brother!” Alyssa said smiling. Like her mother she was in a rather good mood today not counting her strange behavior in her tent. “Give me the bow!” Demanding as ever. He walked to her.

   “Here.” He handed it over. To answer her questioning look he pointed towards his horse. “You have two healthy legs, get the arrows yourself!” Instead of getting them on her own she looked at the guard and the man hurried to bring her the arrows. With the quiver on her back she tested the bow. Aegon knew that it was harder to draw than her own, but she seemed not to mind. While she was shooting arrows into the trunks of some ironwoods, he leaned against a tree and closed his eyes. His surroundings were nearly silent except the arrows’ sound hitting the bark and the birds in the trees.

   After some time, he opened his eyes again and based on the sun’s position it was quite some time past midday. Time to return to the camp. It was possible that Arthur had returned already.

   “Alyssa, time to go back!” He shouted and the sound of his voice scared the birds around them. They flew away in panic. Alyssa turned aimed in the air and let go of the arrow. It hit one of the birds farther away and the animal fell like a rock, landing somewhere in the direction of the road.

   “You are such a show-off!” Aegon sighed.

   “Pure talent!” She collected the arrows and ran to her horse. “Let’s look where it is!” She was gone into the woods before the other two even got to their horses.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Question for you: Should I start posting the prequel? I mentioned it before, it's about Harrenhal and Robert's Rebellion. At the moment it has only 3 1/2 chapters which are a lot shorter (only ~1500 words/chapter) than the ones of this story. 
> 
> Next chapter will be Eddard (and then Lyanna or Rhaegar)!


	4. UPDATE

Hello my lovely readers,

I sincerely apologize for not updating this story in ages. 2018 was quite troublesome for me and I had a lot of problems with university. Some of those problems are resolved now, so I hopefully can continue to write this story soon. The next chapter I can probably upload this month. I have an exam tomorrow and three in November, after that I should have enough time for writing.

As an apology I uploaded the first chapter of the prequel series to this fic. You can find it [here](https://archiveofourown.org/works/16232336/chapters/37945070) or or as Part 1 of the series [Return of Ice - Return of Fire](https://archiveofourown.org/series/1155095). Please continue to support me with kudos, bookmarks and comments. I hope you like the prequel.

 

Greetings,

Kazouha

 


	5. Eddard I

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eddard and Catelyn meet the two Targaryen siblings on the road. Ser Arthur continues to tell the story of Robert's Rebellion.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally, here is my new chapter. As I said in my update last week I had a lot of problems with university which kept me from writing. I can give you this chapter now, but I fear the next won't be out for a while (a month hopefully). Because of some comments I decided to change the story a bit more from canon and change a lot of my original ideas.

** EDDARD **

The party stopped their horses and looked at the dead bird on the muddy road in front of them. It was a young blackbird with dark brown feathers. The arrow had hit its target right under the left wing. A good shot because such a tiny bird was difficult to hit. Whoever shot that arrow had quite some talent with the bow.

   “Who did this?” Catelyn asked shuddering. “Bandits?” Ned quickly shook his head. There was most likely no reason for his wife to be scared. Nobody trying to attack them would announce their presence like this. Plus, bandits wouldn’t waste their arrows on shooting birds.

   “No, the bandits in the north wouldn’t make use of such fine arrows. I do not recognize the design, so I guess they are outlandish!” Bandits would use arrows of a rougher design with dark wood and dark feathers of birds native to the north. The arrow on the ground had white feathers and some pale wood was used for the shaft. “And no bandit would get that close to Winterfell without alarming the guards on patrol. I assure you, my lady, we are safe on the roads around our castle. Otherwise I would not allow the boys to play and hunt in the wolfswood.”

   “It’s one of ours!” Ser Arthur said. “My men use those. Arrows like these are common in the free cities. Most people from across the narrow sea have them except the Dothraki.”

   A moment later they could hear a horse galloping in the distance. The rider was nearing them from the right. Ned tried to see someone, but there were only trees, thick bushes and the sound of hooves getting closer. “Your man coming at us this fast, Ser Arthur?”

   “Not at that pace. It is difficult to maneuver the horses through forests as thick as the wolfswood. None of our guards has a high enough riding skill for that.”

   A small smile found its way into Ned’s face. Lyanna had loved the wolfswood and she had easily navigated around the trees. His sister had been the best rider in the north. When it came to horse riding nobody had a chance against her. “It was my sister’s most loved activity and the wolfswood the place she spend most of her time.”

   “Something her daughter has inherited from her. Alyssa is very good with horses. It was most likely her killing the blackbird. She trained a lot with the bow lately.”

   Then the rider came into view, alone, with a hood covering her face. Definitely a girl by her build and the long elaborate braid that reached down to her waist. She was atop a light brown mare, a very elegant animal and stopped right in front of them, noticing the bird on the ground.

   “I have to apologize. The road was closer than I expected, and I hope nobody got hurt?” She pulled back her hood and watched Ned and Catelyn curiously. “Lord and Lady Stark, I believe? I am Alyssa. It is a pleasure to meet you!” All the years since he had received a letter from his sister telling him about her girl, he had asked himself what the princess looked like. In contrast to Jon she looked nothing like her mother. Instead she had the very distinctive looks of a dragon. A beautiful girl with long silver hair and purple-blue eyes, the same color as her father. For living in the warm regions of Essos her skin was unusually pale.

   “It is a pleasure to meet you, too, Princess Alyssa!” Catelyn answered politely. His wife looked a little overwhelmed with the meeting. The calm and collected face she had donned after Ser Arthur’s unexpected arrival was starting to crumble. On their way back, he would have to explain a lot to her. She probably wouldn’t forgive him the lie about Jon and his parents.

   “Just Alyssa is fine, Lady Stark!” Alyssa said and turned her head a little to address Ser Arthur. “Mother said you would return past midday. Is it that late already, Ser Arthur?”

   He nodded. “It _is_ that late, Alyssa, and you should not ride through these woods alone. Is nobody accompanying you?” He asked with concern and anger in his voice.

   “Have I been alone for more than a few minutes since the boy managed to sneak into my bedroom?” She answered sardonically. “Aegon and a guard are with me. They were just slower. Look, there they are!”

   Two more riders emerged from the woods. One was dressed in dark brown leathers and wearing a helmet. The guard. The other was wearing a cloak similar to the one Alyssa wore. Last time Ned had seen Aegon Targaryen he was an infant in his sister’s arms. By now he was a man grown and reminded Ned of Rhaegar the first time he had met the prince at the Tourney of Harrenhal. Aegon had inherited a lot of his looks just his hair was shorter, the tips not even reaching his shoulders. Nobody who had seen Rhaegar before would question his parentage. Aegon looked regal on his dark brown horse wearing a dark gray cloak with fine clothes underneath. Alyssa was wearing a dress in red and gray, the colors of House Targaryen and Stark, but no dragon ornaments on both of them. _Thoughtful! It would give away their identity immediately._ Aegon introduced himself the same way his sister did, not wanting to be called by his title. Together, the small party continued its way north towards the camp.

   Only a short time later Aegon let his horse fall back and rode next to Ned “Lord Stark, may I ask you something?”

   “Aye. What is it?”

   “What would Robert Baratheon do if he knew about us?” Ned took a deep breath. He wasn’t prepared for that kind of question. Robert was still his friend but images of _that_ day in the throne room came to his mind. The corpses of Princess Elia and the infant presented to Robert by Tywin Lannister as a token of fealty. _I see no babe. Only dragonspawn._ Robert’s rage after they couldn’t find Rhaenys’ body.

   “He will never forgive that Lyanna was taken from him.” He swallowed hard. “Robert would send men to hunt you down like animals. He never punished Lord Tywin for murdering your mother and she had nothing to do with all of it. She was an innocent. His men searched the whole city to find Princess Rhaenys.”

   “Good. Thank you for your honest answer, Lord Stark.” Aegon was about to leave his side, when Ned suddenly had a bad feeling about the whole situation.

   “Wait, what do you plan?”

   “Nothing. I was just curious. It is hard to understand why he did all of that in pursuit of a woman who did not want him. It was her decision, yet he has punished my family for it.” There wasn’t a hint of anger in Aegon’s voice. The boy was composed and friendly.

   “Robert is very impulsive, and it is difficult to understand him. He was hurt after my sister’s disappearance and very angry about the deaths of my brother, my father and our friend Elbert. The rebellion was meant to avenge them, and I only realized Robert’s actions were irrational when it was already too late. I loved him as a brother but after the rebellion we became estranged. We are not close anymore.” Saying that Ned asked himself why Robert was on his way north. Sure, he would ask him to be the next hand without doubt, but after all that happened, why him? _Because he does not know I betrayed our friendship to protect my sister!_

   “Excuse me, Ser Arthur. I am interested in the rest of the story. Would you be so kind to tell me?” Cat interrupted his thoughts. Ned wanted to know about it as well. At the tower there hadn’t been enough time for Lyanna to tell him everything. He only knew she had fled south, got married there and birthed her son far away from any place she had called home before.

   “We crossed the Trident and took a ship to Dragonstone.” He paused as both Ned and Catelyn looked at him confused. “Your father, Lord Rickard, had sent a letter to the Eyrie to inform Robert Baratheon of the end to his betrothal to Lyanna Stark. Lord Robert was given a generous compensation. Yet, instead of accepting his loss he was angry that Lyanna was taken from him.

   “We never found out who was responsible for telling Brandon, but it could have been Robert. After the murder of your father and brother Aerys was hellbent on erasing the Starks from existence starting with you my lord. Lord Arryn, may he rest in peace, rebelled against that injustice and called his banners.”

   “Yes, because he loved me like a son and the king had murdered his nephew Elbert. Jon didn’t know what else to do,” Ned answered. “I just wanted my sister back. Nobody had told me she had gone willingly although I believe that Benjen knew about it. If I had known the truth I would have stopped Robert at the Trident!” Ned felt bad about it. He had unknowingly raised his hand against his own kin, what he believed to be gravely dishonorable. He had allowed Robert to fatally injure his good brother. Had Rhaegar not come back later, Lyanna would have never forgiven him his involvement in the death of her husband.

   “Many of us regret their decisions. Had I broken my vows just this one time, Robert would have died back then. But I promised to protect Lady Lyanna and I keep my word. Back to the story. Lord Arryn called the banners and we fled from Dragonstone in a hurry.

   “Elia remained there with Rhaenys and covered for us. She had a gentle heart, Princess Elia. It was her who suggested to hide in Dorne. All she asked was that we take Aegon away from the war and keep him safe.”

   Ned swallowed hard. He knew he couldn’t have done anything for the woman when he had found her, but now he wished he could have thanked her for helping Lyanna. _Damn Tywin Lannister!_

   “Rhaegar had the High Septon annul his marriage to Elia before we went south, and he wed Lyanna in the Dornish Marches. In Dorne we were met with difficult decisions. The war was raging far away, but it affected us still and when Ser Gerold Hightower arrived it was time to face it. Rhaegar was ordered back to King’s Landing by the king and it was an endless discussion on who would stay south. In the end all of us Kingsguard swore to protect Aegon, Lyanna and the child she was carrying. Oswell and I we entertained her for weeks and just as she seemed to relax a little, dark words arrived from King’s Landing. Rhaegar had been slain in battle by Robert Baratheon and Ser Jaime Lannister had broken his vows and murdered the king.”

   Ned knew that there wasn’t much of the story left. It had taken him only a week to travel to the Tower of Joy. The only thing left was Jon’s birth.

   “Why didn’t you leave the place you were hiding after that? You were still there when Ned arrived!”

   “Ser Gerold, Ser Oswell and I decided to not tell Lyanna about it, but she has eavesdropped, and her body reacted horribly sensitive to any kind of stress.”

   “The child came too early?” Catelyn asked, and Ser Arthur nodded.

   “A little, but it was a strong and healthy boy. It was Lady Lyanna we were worried about. The bleeding didn’t stop, and she got a fever. The midwife meant she would not last the night. I stayed by her side, so she wouldn’t be alone, but the fever broke in the night and she was better the next morning. It was truly a miracle.”

   Ned hadn’t heard any of this before. He knew that his sister was a little too exhausted when he had found her, but he never expected she had nearly died from giving birth to Jon. She was such a strong woman, hearing Rhaegar’s supposed death had shaken her to the bone felt wrong somehow. For Brandon, Benjen and himself she had always been their little warrior sister, not a sensitive young woman desperately mourning the man, he thought, had raped her. Again, he asked himself how he could have so little faith in Lyanna who would never had allowed someone to kidnap her.

   “I believe my lord husband arrived shortly after that? Sadly, he never told me anything about what happened in the south.” The last sentence sounded reproachful. Ned didn’t know why Catelyn couldn’t understand his lie. He had promised Lyanna to not tell anyone and that included his wife, the wife he hadn’t really known to begin with.

   “It would have been dangerous for us if he had told someone about what had happened in the south, Lady Stark. I don’t know if you have ever met Robert Baratheon, but I assure you he would have killed not only us but you and your child as well for the betrayal of your husband. Again, Robert knew that Lyanna hadn’t been kidnapped. He was obsessed with her, wanted to own her. Lord Stark kept her away from him!”

   Ned was irritated that Ser Arthur defended his actions in front of Cat. Last time he had seen the man they weren’t exactly on the same side. Yet, in the past years both had obviously developed some kind of mutual understanding and respect. In the end it was probably Lyanna’s doing, she seemed to have a large influence on Ser Arthur. Coming closer to the encampment all of them agreed to end their conversation about Robert’s Rebellion. There wasn’t anything left to tell anyways.

   When the tents came into view Cat tried to get his attention. “What is this all about, Ned? There must be a reason why they returned.”

   “There probably is. We will find out soon. Lyanna is already waiting for us!” He smiled a little seeing the dark-haired woman waiting for him. It took only a few seconds after he had dismounted, then she was in his arms, hugging him tightly. She smelled like some exotic flowers he didn’t know.

   “I have missed you so much, big brother!” Still a little overwhelmed by that greeting Ned looked at his sister. She was older, not the little girl anymore. Her hair was half down, the other half braided with tiny pearls worked into the braids. Her dress was rather plain, gray wool with red and white flowers embroidered on the skirt. When Catelyn dismounted, the moment Ned feared most had come. Now, his wife and his sister would meet for the first time after all that had happened. It wasn’t really a warm greeting, but he hadn’t expected anything else. He knew there wouldn’t be any love between the two women. They were both too different.

   “Why are you here, Lyanna?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There isn't much happening in this chapter, but I thought a little background would be nice before the final meeting. Next chapter will be Lyanna POV.


End file.
